took me long enough...

Ever since I got here I've been looking for a place where I can do some jogging, some taiji, etc., be outside somewhere pleasant, get some exercise, and not have everyone stare at me.  Well, I've finally found a place, hardly a block from the house.  Just behind the pull-off where some of the small local buses park there's a path, which I thought just led around the hill to another road nearby.  Well, today I left work early (I stayed over at the studio last night to take care of some stuff) and while I was walking home decided to check the path out.  Started by going in the direction I knew it went, towards another street that goes up to the top of the hill and then drops down to the one that goes back up towards us.  A real rollercoaster set of streets around here.  Anyway, that was a nice little walk, there were a few beat-up old wooden exercise devices (push-up bars, sit-up benches, flat turning plates for twisting yourself back and forth), would be a nice place to go occasionally.  Went back, and saw that the path continued in the other direction.  Went out along that, and soon realized that it might go for a little ways.  Got up to a high point and realized that there was a whole wooded ridgeline up there, wondered how much of it had trails.

 

Well, I kept walking and found out, because eventually I reached the highest point, and there was a map.  And there are several kilometers of trails, to places all over the area!  Great for trail running, lots more outdoor exercise stuff, a few flat open areas that would be perfect for taiji... there was even a little spot set up in the shape of a bare foot, decorated with various stones and blocks, that I'm pretty sure is designed for a barefoot walking foot massage.  The place is awesome!  In the middle of the afternoon it was also full of old people, some sitting around and/or playing Korean chess, but a lot were walking or otherwise exercising too.  I'm hoping to go in the mornings, when it might be a little less busy, but it's clearly the place to go to get some outdoor exercise around here.  I'll stand out no matter what, but it won't be nearly as weird as jogging on the street (no one does that here).  I should have explored it so long ago.  D'oh!

 

Oh, I've put my pictures from France, Japan, and the full Seoul album, which now has a bunch of new pictures, up on my picasa page. I'm not writing the link for that again on here, so if you can't find it, let me know.  I'll add captions when I can.  I've got a bunch of new Seoul pictures to upload too, I decided not to wait around for one day when I'll just take a day to explore my neighborhood taking pictures, but just pull my camera out on my walk home.  There's lots to see.